Hub Entertainment Research forecasts several major trends for the streaming industry in 2026, with a focus on niche sports, expanded streaming bundles, and significant platform mergers.

Live sports have become a standard feature on subscription video platforms, but the coming year is expected to see a rise in niche sports programming. Netflix will lead this shift by hosting multiple Major League Baseball (MLB) events annually. Starting in 2026, Netflix will air the MLB season’s opening night game, the Home Run Derby before the All-Star Game, and a special event game each year, beginning with MLB at Field of Dreams.

According to Hub founder Jon Giegengack, as the cost of rights to major sports leagues increases, media companies will invest more in mid-tier and niche sports. This will likely result in:

• Wider distribution for sports like volleyball and tennis
• Growth in women’s sports leagues
• Increased visibility for participant-driven sports such as professional pickleball and cornhole

Streaming bundles are also expected to become more popular. Prime Video, telecom companies, and traditional TV distributors plan to offer discounted third-party streaming bundles to help reduce subscriber turnover. These bundles may combine TV with other entertainment options like gaming and music, as well as non-entertainment services such as grocery delivery, fitness, and e-learning.

YouTube, owned by Google, is projected to expand its presence in the television market. The platform will focus on long-form content and introduce dynamic ad insertions, allowing creators to update sponsored segments in videos even after publication. This move is part of a broader trend where YouTube increasingly resembles traditional TV, with more premium content expected to migrate to the platform in 2026.

Another anticipated development is the launch of a universal video search engine by Prime Video, which would allow users to search for content across multiple streaming services, not just those within the Amazon ecosystem. This could position Amazon as a central hub for managing and discovering video content.

Finally, the potential acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Netflix could lead to the integration of HBO Max into the Netflix platform. If completed, Netflix may absorb HBO’s premium content and rebrand HBO’s linear channels under the Netflix name, marking a significant shift for the HBO brand after more than 50 years.

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